Cost to operate a Tesla 3 after 10,000 miles

[OnlinePoker]

Must be nice to have $55k upfront to put on a car and get a tax break for doing it.

[3Hotdogs]

1. So he paid $20k more for the Tesla than I did for my '18 Sonata.

He paid about $950. less than I did for for gasoline than I did for 10k miles. His insurance is about the same as mine because I am highly insured and get charged for the crime of being over 65.

My oil change is free on the dealer for as long as I own the car.

Except for the good feeling of driving no emissions, I don't think he got an economically good deal.

[Finishline42]

8. Nice deal on the oil change

But for the rest of us - the cost of oil changes are going up and by a lot - at least in my area.

The other costs avoided by an EV.

Air filters
Oil filters
Transmission oil
Brake wear is greatly reduced as a good part of braking is used to charge the battery

[3Hotdogs]

9. The dealer pays for the oil change and the filter.

This worked out in their favor in the long run as they get to sell, or try to sell you a new car while you are in, waiting for the oil change.

Air filter runs about $12 at Advanced auto. Takes 5 minutes to install. By the way, cabin air filters are also easy to install --- Youtube directions. and cost about $7.


Regarding brake wear, I can't figure a connection between reduced brake wear and charging the battery. Brake wear is caused when the pad rubs against the rotor. That happens no matter where the energy from the friction goes.

You will get a lower battery charging cost by hitting the brakes time and time, again. But the brake wear isn't going to diminish.

[Finishline42]

10. It's call regenerative braking

The electric drive motor changes into a generator which creates drag on the drivetrain. It works for the first part of slowing down, the final braking is by the brake pads.

Talk to anybody with a Prius, there are two different braking actions and there is a very slight pause in the transition from one to the other (at least there was on my 2009). I was told to start braking further from a stop light for instance.

On the Tesla 3 I test drove, as soon as you let off the gas the car did a nose dive.

I use to do my own oil changes but not anymore. I would have a bunch of gallon milk jugs lined up in the garage and then take them in to a garage and give them away.

[3Hotdogs]

11. Cool.

[brush]

2. Oil and auto companies are sure to try to supress this info.

And the price of electric cars is coming down.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I would love to have one, but don't want to spend the money. I will

keep driving my 1999 Saturn with 126,026 miles on it or my trusty 1991 Subaru Loyale with 156,400 miles.

[hunter]

4. My car cost less than his garage outlet.

And I'm pretty sure I'm paying my share of taxes to maintain the roads I drive on.

If someone gave me a Tesla I'd give it away like a hot potato to someone who cared. But not someone like him.

By some planning and greater good fortune my wife and I have avoided the car commuter lifestyle since the mid 'eighties. I fill my gas tank every month of two whether I need to or not. It holds a little over ten gallons. I like to keep more than half full, for emergencies. I have a siphon and we have a camp stove in our earthquake kit that will burn regular unleaded gas.

Cars and car culture are one of the stupidest things humans have ever invented. Electric cars are hardly any improvement.

The car I drive is a middle finger to all of it.

[tinrobot]

5. All this griping over the cost of the car.

I hope everyone realizes there are electric cars on the market that cost a lot less... and are still are as cheap to operate.

I'm just happy electric cars are finally becoming mainstream. We can't off of gasoline fast enough.

[Finishline42]

7. There's also the future possibility of selling power back to the grid from your car.

There's also the future possibility of selling power back to the grid from your car.

Say for instance you have a solar system on your house with a battery for storage. You charge your car at night and you have a 20 mile commute leaving in excess of 200 miles of range to sell to the grid during the day? Will there be a possibility that you could specify that you would only sell that power at peak rates? Actually I doubt that the future would be that bright but wouldn't it be nice...

[Finishline42]

6. The tax break is to 'jump start' an industry

How many people are employed by Tesla? How many jobs are supported by the vendors that supply Tesla? How much will they pay in taxes over the lifetime of their jobs? That's the other side of the calculation of the tax credit.